


Muted

by DaydreamNightmare



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, PTSD-ish, Post-Movie, kind of shippy if you squint real hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 14:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12191769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaydreamNightmare/pseuds/DaydreamNightmare
Summary: Percival Graves returns to work in the summer of 1927.





	Muted

Percival Graves returns to work in the summer of 1927.

MACUSA hallways absolutely explode with gossip the minute he apparates into the lobby. He keeps his eyes cast downwards, his walk brisk. The grip on his wand is maybe a bit too hard, especially since he never needed a wand to feel secure – _before_ – but he makes his way down to DMLE offices acting like he doesn't hear them.

Queenie wishes she could do the same. Try as she might, but their thoughts are like screams today, theories and conspiracies, and resentment, and Tina's name being dragged through the mud again, with Graves'. She doesn't have the patience for them today, so she ''accidentally'' spills a pot of coffee on Joanne's pretty new white suede shoes – it actually makes them look _less_ awful – bumps into Archibald, causing his glasses to fall and break apart into a million pieces, and flat out hexes Jordan from Maintenance. She's vexed the rest of the day, and at lunch with Tina she stabs at her salad like it's Grindelwald in her plate.

''You okay, Queens?'' Tina asks after a bite of hot dog and Queenie shrugs.

''It's loud today,'' is all she says and her sister makes an understanding noise.

''Because of -''

''Yep,'' Queenie interrupts. ''Gosh, you should hear what they're thinking, Teenie. It's downright foul.''

Tina sighs, placing her hot dog on a plate before her. ''I understand that,'' she says. ''Everywhere but DMLE feels like walking on dragon eggs.''

''You good down there?'' Queenie asks innocently, slipping into her sister's head.

''We're fine,'' Tina says. ''We all – He – We respect him.''

She's telling the truth, but only half of it, as if she doesn't know Queenie will snoop. In her mind's eye, Tina has been having a continual panic attack ever since Graves walked into his office.

''He's not Grindelwald,'' Queenie says softly, reaching to pat her sister's hand.

''I know that,'' Tina says quietly, avoiding eye contact. Queenie doesn't push. All that's running through Tina's mind is the same thing that she wakes up screaming from every so often: Grindelwald in Graves' skin, telling her she's not wanted. Grindelwald in Graves' skin, sentencing her to death. Theoretically, her sister knows she's safe. In practice, she's a mess.

The days go. Percival Graves apparates into work every morning at 6:55, goes to his office and doesn't leave it until 11:55. Queenie usually respects other's privacy, but she can't ignore him. He doesn't say a word outside his office, and in there he's usually talking shop with his Aurors, but inside his mind, Percival Graves hasn't stopped screaming.


End file.
